Weather and Traffic

Flood watch issued for up to 4 more inches of rain

Path of the EF-0 tornado that passed through parts of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach on Thursday morning. Click here for full report. (Credit: NWS-Miami)

THURSDAY RAINFALL: 0.64 of an inch at PBIA through 4 p.m.; 0.59 of an inch in Palm Beach. Another line of showers is forecast to move through the area this evening, possibly producing gusty winds of up to 60 mph. A flood watch remains in effect until 10 p.m.

UPDATE: A tornado touched down in Delray Beach this morning north of Atlantic Avenue and west of I-95, according to the National Weather Service. There was some damage in the area to trees but no reports of injuries. It was the second confirmed tornado in two days. On Wednesday, an EF-1 tornado damaged cars and buildings in Coconut Creek on the Broward College campus.

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ORIGINAL POST: A second day of nail-biting storm threats and torrential rain is expected to be the final punch in a blustery January ruled by one of the strongest El Niños on record.

Palm Beach and most of South Florida are under a flood watch until 10 p.m. after Wednesday’s record rains left the ground saturated and streets struggling with storm run-off.

The parade of rain cells from the Gulf of Mexico eased off a bit overnight, but the intensity began cranking up again this morning with another strong squall line moving into Southwest Florida and toward the East Coast. More are expected throughout the day.

Wednesday’s final rain total at Palm Beach International Airport was 4.79 inches, a new single-day record for Jan. 27. That brings January’s total to 9.16 inches, making it one of the wettest Januarys on the books. In fact, it could approach all-time record territory.

Palm Beach reported 4.14 inches.

In addition to the flood watch, National Weather Service forecasters in Miami warned of damaging winds as strong as 65 mph late this afternoon as the cold front approaches the area. Isolated tornadoes are also once again possible, they said.

Rain chances are at 90 percent today but fall to 40 percent tonight. The cold front forecast to sweep through should clear away clouds on Friday with chilly winds gusting up to 26 mph out of the northwest. The forecast high is 69.

One cool night — Saturday morning’s temperature should bottom out at around 51 — is in the forecast before a longer-range warm-up begins with highs next week in the upper 70s to near 80 by mid-week.

Florida was drenched statewide on Wednesday. In addition to PBIA, single-day rainfall records were also set in Naples with 3.50 inches; Fort Myers with 3.29 inches (which broke a 103-year-old record of 2.20 inches set in 1913); Daytona Beach with 2.37 inches; Orlando with 1.74 inches (busting a 113-year-old record of 1.13 inches set in 1903); Melbourne with 1.12 inches; and Vero Beach with 2.25 inches.

The Keys escaped relatively unscathed, however. Key West reported 0.05 of an inch and Marathon, 0.03 of an inch.